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Friday, November 14, 2014

Body image (usually) sucks.

This post is really for every human being operating in our society. Not just men, not just women, not just those who fall between or completely outside the gender spectrum, but it is for everyone.

At some point in our lives, we ALL have a problem with body image. Like I mentioned in a previous post, we are constantly bombarded with what our bodies are supposed to look like, what "pretty" means, what "sexy" means, what we should do with our hair, what we should do with our faces, our clothes, and everything about ourselves that falls outside of these standards.

We are constantly told that we need to fix ourselves.

Frankly, that's bullshit.

I would consider myself pretty. I'm usually a size 8-12 in pants (depending on where I'm attempting to shop), a large shirt. My body type is "curvy" I suppose. I weigh anywhere in the range of 150-160 pounds, and no, I'm not ashamed of that.

As far as the modeling/fashion/film industry, I'm a plus-sized woman. I would be considered fat. I would be told that I needed to drop weight to be in whatever I was auditioning for. (If you haven't heard about the huge backlash at Calvin Klein lately, here's some info for you.)

Yes, that is also bullshit.

I have never had an eating disorder. So while I recognize that they exist and are a huge problem that goes with body image, they aren't something that I can appropriately speak about, and people who suffer from such a thing I can't speak for.

(If you would like to speak about/for yourself and you suffer from an eating disorder, feel free to send me an email.)

The health and fitness industry isn't any better at pushing a positive body image for people. Instead, that industry wants you to buy supplements and meal replacements and diet pills.

Anyone can have negative body image. Yes, even that really buff guy or really fit woman you have seen at the grocery store or at the gym. They too can suffer from a negative body image.

We can all at least be united in the fact that having a negative body image feels shitty.

Can we stop for a second and talk about "fit memes"?

I get it. Some people use these things as motivation. That's fine, you do you, boo.

The problem I have with shit like this is that it perpetuates just as much negative body image as anything else, but it's masked as positive motivation. That's manipulation, friends.

Plus, a lot of them teach really unhealthy habits.

Look. I'm not a fitness professional. I don't have a degree in kinesiology or nutrition, but I do have common sense. I listen to my body. All this "pushing through the pain" shit is garbage. If you're hurt, you're hurt. YOU know the difference between your mind telling you that you can't do something and being hurt.

Also, I don't care who you are. There is always going to be some food on this Earth that tastes better than "skinny" feels. Cause I can tell you right now, that some barbecue and a beer are ALWAYS better than "skinny", whatever that even means.

I guess if I weigh a few pounds more than I would if I cut out all the things I like to eat and drink, I'm okay with that.

I know this is hard, but all of us need to learn to accept ourselves for who we are. If you can accept yourself and say "hey, I'm beautiful/attractive/sexy/whatever, but I would like to lose some weight/get in shape/be able to run 5 miles/be able to lift weights/whatever" then I don't see anything wrong with that.

So, learn to love you. That's what really matters here. Forget what the modeling industry tells you. They just want you to buy their clothes. The big fitness companies have their best interests in mind, not yours.

You want to lose weight? Talk to a trainer. You want to eat better? Talk to a nutritionist. That's OKAY.